As the GIANTS get set take on the Pies at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon, we’ve been keeping a close eye on all the news coming out of the Holden Centre this week.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley faced the Melbourne media on Thursday after training as his 11th-placed Pies get set to travel north to take on the the third-placed GIANTS.
The GIANTS have never beaten the Pies from four attempts but they enter the clash as red-hot favourites.
“They are a real challenge, and one we're looking forward to,” Buckley said.
“We feel like we're starting to display a little bit more consistency in the way that we play.
“GWS is the best team we've played for a little while, so it will be a good challenge for us.”
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With former GIANT Adam Treloar set to face his old side for the first time since his off-season departure, the Pies’ website this week looked back on Treloar’s first meeting with Collingwood.
In round 18, 2012 at Spotless Stadium, Treloar picked up a game-high 37 touches for the GIANTS in a 120-point loss.
Treloar’s not the only player coming up against his old side this weekend.
One player who will certainly be there is GIANTS vice-captain Heath Shaw who is in career-best form in the orange and charcoal after being an integral member of the Pies’ outfit for 10 years including 173 games and the 2010 Premiership.
If cleared of injury Taylor Adams - who played 31 games at the GIANTS before being traded to Collingwood at the end of 2013 - could also return to Spotless Stadium.
Adams is one of six players listed as tests for the Magpies ahead of Saturday’s game.
Neil Balme on Monday named Adams, Alex Fasolo, Jonathon Marsh, Ben Crocker and Brayden Sier as Magpies on the mend.
“We’ve had a number of players previously listed as short term injuries who are getting closer to a return,” Balme told Collingwood’s website.
Fasolo and Adams appear the most likely to come back in if passed fit.
Fasolo remains Collingwood’s leading goalkicker in 2016, while Adams had 36 disposals when he last met his former side in round 11 last season.
Both got through Collingwood’s main training session on Thursday and the coach hinted they would line up against the GIANTS on Saturday.
“They’ve proven their fitness and it's going to be hard not to select them, given that they're pretty important players for us,” Buckley said.
“We've got some decisions to make, some conundrums at the selection table."
Another potential change, not through injury, is American tall forward Mason Cox whose spot could be in jeopardy after Buckley admitted Cox was coming off a poor performance in their 12-point win against Carlton last Saturday.
“He had a quiet game last week, but for the most part he's taken every step pretty well,” Buckley said.
“Part of development into AFL footy is to understand the relentless nature of it, so he's facing that at the moment.”
Cox registered just two disposals and eight hit-outs in that game, and did not hit the scoreboard.
“Jesse (White) went back and handled his demotion for that week really well, and his form over a two-month period has been really strong. He'll put his hand up again,” Buckley said.
White finished with 23 disposals, 12 marks and two goals in the 13-point victory against the Northern Blues in the VFL last week.
The GIANTS take on Collingwood at Spotless Stadium on Saturday as part of the celebrations of the 2016 Toyota AFL Multicultural Round.
Multicultural Round highlights the contribution multicultural communities have made to the game’s history and welcomes new communities to embrace Australian Football as fans, players, umpires or administrators.
Be prepared for the extraordinary as we celebrate the many cultures that make this great game special, kicking off with the AFL Multicultural Festival presented by Australia Post in Cathy Freeman Park outside Spotless Stadium from 11am-7pm.
This free event offers rides, food stalls, AFL clinics, henna and face painters, Multicultural workshops, Arabic Drummers, Bollywood dancing plus a live performance from Justice Crew.
